There's a HIDDEN Nod to an Abandoned Theme Park in Disney World's NEW Fort Wilderness Cabins

Who else is stoked for The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to open?!

©Disney

The area will soon boast over 350 Disney Vacation Club cabins that sleep six folks and feature modernized touches of the great outdoors. The cabins are set to open to the public on July 1st, 2024, and Disney is starting to get everyone excited for their opening. Disney recently showed some key details hiding within the cabins in a video, and one of them in particular caught our eye.

Throughout the cabins, you’ll find all sorts of wall art and framed-pieces. Among those will be what looks like a framed collection of post cards, patches, and stickers. One post card in particular says “River Country.”

River Country Easter egg ©Disney

Disney CONFIRMED that this is a nod to the very first water park that ever came to Disney World. The water park opened in the summer of 1976 — five years after Disney World opened to the public. It was nestled along the shores of Bay Lake — near Discovery Island.

River Country

It was themed to resemble an old-fashioned swimming hole, complete with authentic country theming. It felt like you went to the lake with your family for a weekend of fishin’, splashin’, and swimmin’.

River Country

The park closed indefinitely in 2001, and three years later, in 2004, it was announced that the park wouldn’t be opening again. Ever. A lot of folks were heartbroken at this news, and still miss it today.

River Country

That’s why this little Easter egg in The Cabins is so exciting! It’s a small, nostalgic nod to a water park that we think perfectly embodies the theming of the new cabins.